With Bloodstock 2021 well under way, the festival is thrilled to already be looking ahead and announcing a swathe of bands for the 2022 event, which is set to take place on 11th-14th August 2022 at Catton Park, Derbyshire. Headlining one of the days (tbd) on the Ronnie James Dio main stage will be mighty groove metal overlords, Lamb Of God! Frontman Randy Blythe tells the festival that:-

     “It’s been way too long since we’ve rocked the festivals of Merry Olde - what better way to announce our return than a headliner slot at Bloodstock? Until then, pack your wellies and stay safe, England - Lamb of God (and Roger Brilliant) will see you Summer 2022!”

     In the meantime, remind yourself of their awesomeness with this video of 'Walk With Me In Hell' from their 2013 debut Bloodstock headline set.


     Saturday's main stage headliner will be the previously announced, King Diamond-fronted, heavy metal icons Mercyful Fate, who roll over a year after global issues prevented their appearance at this year’s festival. The band states:-

     “Mercyful Fate comes to Bloodstock…this will be a dangerous meeting you don’t want to miss. This time we are going to bring the Devil himself.”  
 
 
     Also landing main stage slots across the weekend are Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals playing their Pantera set, Dimmu Borgir, Testament, Exodus, Black Dahlia Murder, Gwar (in a UK festival exclusive), Bury Tomorrow, Sacred Reich, Life Of Agony, Butcher Babies, Vio-lence and Bloodywood.

     Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, headlining Thursday night are The Night Flight Orchestra and closing out Sunday night will be Static-X, in their only UK show of 2022. Also landing a slot across the weekend are Heathen.
 
     Early bird weekend camping tickets are available at the on-site box office across the duration of the 2021 event, then will go on sale online at 9am Monday 16th August, priced at £135 (+ bkg fee) from the ticket store, as well as Serpents Lair VIP tickets, child tickets, and camper van passes (which always sell out very quickly, so don’t snooze if you’re after one).


The remaining main stage headliner is yet to be revealed. Stay tuned for more band announcements soon and check out the first 2022 trailer here

     Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 11th-14th August 2022.
For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.

The age of Quadra is upon us as Sepultura release their new album today via Nuclear Blast. The Brazilian thrash metal masters mark the occasion with a stunning music video for their new single 'Means To An End'. Watch here: youtu.be/TMLed7lL5CU

Guitarist Andreas Kisser comments:-

     "Sepulnation around the world the wait is over! 'Quadra' is out now!! It feels great to be here today with such a strong album in our hands, I cannot wait to see you all on the 'Quadra' World Tour. Thank you all the fans around the world that keeps this band alive and motivated. Let’s celebrate 'Quadra' together, play it loud! I know I will!”

He adds on the new song/video:-

     “'Means To An End' is our third video/single taken form our new album 'Quadra'. Is the the second song on the album, it is a very powerful and complex theme that inspired director Otavio Juliano and Luciana Ferraz to make an amazing visual interpretation of the song. It shows the human greed with no limits, the arrogance and the ignorance of ourselves, we think we can do it all without knowledge, without respect. Judas and his treason, defying death in a chess game, saving money for who’s knows what and how much is enough?

     It was shot in the city of Jundiaí, in an old train station museum and in Sao Paulo as well, at an old bank safe, it was the biggest in Latin America from the 50’s till it got shut down in the late 80’s. We had a lot of fun working on it and I’m very happy with the final result, hope you like it! See you on the 'Quadra' World Tour.” 
 
Order your copy of Quadra here: nblast.de/Sepultura-Quadra

Quadra is available on Limited Edition 2 CD Digipak, 2 LP Vinyl, 2 LP Vinyl Picture Disk, Earbook, and CD.

Quadra is Sepultura's fifteenth studio album, which presents a thrilling and brutally honest concept around the Portuguese word quadra. Everyone grows up in a different quadra, shaped by rules and definitions. We are all determined by these concepts, our relationships, our careers. Our whole lives.

Sepultura will be playing at Sunstroke Festival Ireland in summer 2020, alongside the likes of Deftones, Faith No More, Mastodon etc.

13/14th June 2020  IE  Punchestown Racecourse - Sunstoke Festival

You can also catch the band at Download Festival 2020:- downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets

sepultura.com.br
facebook.com/sepultura
instagram.com/sepultura
nuclearblast.de/sepultura

The Metal Hall of Fame has announced that the 2020 Annual Metal Hall of Fame Celebrity Charity Gala will be filmed live and will air on Amazon Prime.

Hard rock and heavy metal fans in attendance will be featured in the filming, which will take place on January 15 at the Marriott Delta Garden Grove in Anaheim, CA. The world premiere of the film will air in early 2020, reaching more than 100 million subscribers. 

Metal Hall of Fame President/CEO Pat Gesualdo says:-

     “Having the World Premier for the 2020 Metal Hall of Fame Gala on Amazon Prime is a great honour. We are excited to share the most important night in metal with music fans everywhere, and to let so many people take part in our charity event."    

2020 Metal Hall of Fame inductees include Steve Vai, Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Don Dokken (Dokken), Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Graham Bonnet (Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz), Joe Satriani, legendary metal promoter Stone City Attractions, Metal Church, Prong, and former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland. 

The gala will feature various bands and inductees performing throughout the night. Additional inductees and performers will be announced over the next few weeks, along with the lin-eup for an all-star jam band. The event will be hosted by noted television and radio personality Eddie Trunk, and co-hosted by Whiskey A Go-Go Ultimate Jam Night /Almost Fama Show host Jes Fama. 
 
Proceeds from the event will benefit disabled children in various hospitals and community centers throughout the United States through free music programs and therapy services. Previous beneficiaries have included NYU Medical Center, NYC JCC, West Orange JCC, United States Department of Defense Military base in Virginia for disabled veterans and United States Department of State - West Bank region of Israel for special needs children.

Tickets for the 2020 Annual Metal Hall of Fame Celebrity Charity Gala are $35-$45 and may be pre-ordered at www.thehallofheavymetalhistory.org.
 
The Metal Hall of Fame holds the Annual Hall Metal Hall of Fame Gala. It is dedicated to forever enshrining the iconic musicians and music industry executives responsible for making hard rock and heavy metal music what it is today. Through their contribution to the genre is invaluable, these inductees continue to inspire fans throughout the world from generation to generation. It is part of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization D.A.D. (Drums and Disabilities), which provides free therapy services for disabled children and their families in hospitals and community centres throughout the United States.
 
For more information, please visit: www.metalhalloffame.org, www.dadprogram.org or call
+1 973-725-5150. 

Norwegian Black & Roll veterans Vreid have announced their participation in the "Songs That Changed the World" project by the Nobel Peace Center and Inferno Metal Festival. The band will be commissioned to interpret and cover a song about freedom of expression. The song is yet to be determined. Vreid will perform this special song and their own material during a show at the Nobel Peace Center on April 7, 2020.

Founder and bass player Hváll comments:

     "In Vreid we have always been up for new challenges. It was therefore with huge excitement we took on this task when Inferno Metal Festival and Nobel Peace Center challenged us to do our interpretation of a song that changed the world. Freedom of speech has been relevant since the very beginning of rock, and is just as relevant and important today. A lot has changed since rock 'n' roll was new and rebellious in the 60s, but still today the freedom of speech are controversial and debated, so maybe the world has been at a stand still over the last 60 years. We are thankful for the engagement. Vreid looks forward to dig deep into the rock history of many fantastic songs, and will be ready to perform our song at the Nobel Peace Center in April."

More information on the Nobel Peace Center can be found HERE. Inferno Metal Festival will take place on April 9 - 12, in Oslo, Norway. Find more information on the festival HERE.

Bloodstock is delighted to share that New Delhi’s BLOODYWOOD will headline the Sophie Lancaster stage on Friday, in a UK festival exclusive. Blending Indian folk instruments and heavy metal, this is sure to be a unique set you won’t want to miss! Check out their most recent single (closing on 1.4 million views), ‘Machi Bhasad (Expect A Riot)’ at https://youtu.be/Gsy5sJy5_34. 

Saturday’s Sophie Lancaster stage headliners are none other than extreme metal miscreants CATTLE DECAPITATION. Hailing from California, the Metal Blade signed group release their crushing new album ‘Death Atlas’ this Friday, November 29th! Not familiar? Listen to ‘Bring Back The Plague’ from the new LP at https://youtu.be/BBy4gn8VBMo. Head here to pre-order all manner of cool formats.

Birmingham death metal brutes MEMORIAM will be Saturday’s special guests on the Sophie Lancaster stage. The band’s third album, ‘Requiem For Mankind’ was released by Nuclear Blast in June. Watch the video for ‘The Veteran’, taken from that album, at https://youtu.be/_uTsdsc3cys. 

Also joining the Sophie bill on Saturday, are Edinburgh-based prog experimentalists RAMAGE INC. With five albums under their belt now, they’ve plenty of songs to choose from! You can explore their latest record, ‘Under The Skin’, in its entirety over on their Bandcamp page at: https://ramageinc.bandcamp.com/. 

Have you discovered London’s psych-doom crew GREEN LUNG yet? Appearing on the Sophie stage on Sunday, Metal Hammer described them as, “a fantastic mix of stoner rock, hard rock, and psychedelic rock laden with harmonies,” with further praise heaped on them by Kerrang!, The Guardian, and BBC Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P. Carter. Play their latest album, ‘Woodland Rites’ on Bandcamp at https://greenlung.bandcamp.com/. 

BLOODSTOCK is pleased to welcome back post-metal squad BOSSK, joining the Sophie stage line-up on Friday. Following on from 2016’s well received ‘Audio Noir’ album, the band’s Facebook page was recently teasing new music is coming in 2020. Here’s hoping it’s out in time for BLOODSTOCK! Watch the full set of their 2017 performance at https://youtu.be/PLNpbvyUzQw. 

Filled with questions about BLOODSTOCK? Put them to festival directors ADAM GREGORY and VICKY HUNGERFORD in a Facebook Live Q&A tonight! Head over to BLOODSTOCK’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/ for a 7pm start! Can’t make it? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to replay it later on the page too.

In other BLOODSTOCK fun, as 2020 marks 20 years of BLOODSTOCK, instead of ‘12 Days Of Christmas’ competitions, BLOODSTOCK is going to have 20! Be sure to check  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/ every morning from December 5th for details of each one-day-only competition, and be in with a chance to win all sorts of prizes from BLOODSTOCK bands past and present, festival sponsors, and of course BLOODSTOCK!

BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course. 

Discounted Early Bird tickets, VIP tickets, child tickets, and car parking tickets for 2020’s event are available now at the ticket store.  Be quick though, the early bird discount ends on December 15th (or sooner if the early bird allocation sells out) and weekend tickets then revert to the standard price of £145 (+ fees)! Campervan tickets for 2020 are already sold out. 

BLOODSTOCK 2020 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th-9th August 2020.  For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.  

Time to tune those axes and get ready to attack with blast beats: The 17th edition of the worldwide biggest hard and heavy band contest, Wacken Metal Metal, will once again provide an arena for aspiring musicians in 2020.     

As in previous years, 30 countries or regions will participate in the final round at the Wacken Open Air in 2020. In order to join the battle in Germany, bands have to apply and get invited to perform at their local Wacken Metal Battle competition first. The winners of their national finals will be given the chance to perform in Wacken. 

Sascha Jahn (head of project) comments:-

     "The Wacken Metal Battle has proved to be a most fertile ground for fresh talent in the hard music scene and unites young bands from all around the globe in an exciting and friendly competition each year. Even the high number of 30 slots for bands at the Wacken Open Air finals is not enough to allow each participating country and region to send contestants every year. Furthermore, we are proud to announce two new participants with Australia and Chile in 2020. This means that unfortunately some countries have to take a break either voluntarily or determined by lot. We congratulate all countries that have been drawn for the 17th edition and are looking forward to welcome those back in 2021 that are now on a hiatus."

The 30 countries and regions participating in the Wacken Metal Battle 2020 are listed below in alphabetical order. For direct contact and applications to a specific country, please click on the name:-

• Argentina
• Australia
• Bulgaria
• The Caribbean
• Caucasian Republics
• Central America
• Chile
• Denmark
• Faroe Islands
• Finland
• Former Yugoslavian Republics
• France
• Greece
• Germany
• Hungary
• Indian Sub-Continent
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Israel
• Japan
• Luxembourg
• Mexico
• The Netherlands
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Ukraine
• USA

The following countries are on a hiatus in 2020:

Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Middle East, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay

The following rules apply to all bands that want to participate in the Wacken Metal Battle. 

• Only bands without a record deal or about to sign to a label in the near future may apply.
  
• Bands have to travel to the national and final event at their own expense.
  
• Bands need to be able to perform a 30 minute set of original material. Cover versions are not permitted.

 

• Previous winners of national & international Wacken Metal Battles are excluded from applying again.
  
• Bands that have already participated in a national Wacken Metal Battle but did not win may apply again.
  

• Applications need to contain a demo with 3-4 songs, band picture with photo-credit and info, and a contact address and should be send to the national promoters (contact through clicking at the name in the list of participating countries above). 
  

You can also find the rules at this link www.metal-battle.com/about or apply directly via the official website: www.metal-battle.com/countries

Every band that wins a national Wacken Metal Battle competition gets to perform at the Wacken Open Air in the final international round of the contest. At the final event an international jury of experts is picking five top bands, which receive attractive prices by renowned sponsors including the Wacken Foundation and makers of musical instruments and technical gear. On top of this, as in the year before, the number 1 band of the Wacken Metal Battle 2019, Varang Nord, just got to play at the Full Metal Holiday in Mallorca, Spain with expenses covered.

The Wacken Metal Battle was founded by the Wacken Open Air in 2004 to support unsigned rock and metal bands as well as to promote the underground scene of hard and heavy music. Since is inception, the competition has quickly grown into the biggest international heavy metal talent contest with currently more than 40 countries and regions in the general pool out of which 30 are selected to compete each year. The winners of the national and regional competitions enter the final round at the Wacken Open Air, where they get to perform in front of an international jury of experts. The five top bands selected by the jury receive attractive prizes generously provided by the Wacken Foundation and other renowned sponsors including makers of instruments and technical gear. The Wacken Metal Battle also provides a networking area were aspiring musicians can meet with booking agents, labels, managers, and media.

Bloodstock’s hugely popular, grass roots-supporting ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme gives unsigned and DIY bands the chance of being part of the Bloodstock Festival experience.  

With 2020 marking 20 years of Bloodstock, plans are already well underway for the festival’s biggest and best year yet and Bloodstock along with our favourite ale, Hobgoblin, are aiming once again to track down the best, hot new metal talent to win slots to perform on the New Blood stage. All bands chosen to play via the M2TM scheme will also be included on a free compilation CD courtesy of CRAM Duplication given away to fans at the festival next summer.

M2TM 2020 will take place in 28 regions across the UK, Ireland, Poland, and Norway. See the full list of participating areas below, and then if you’re in a self-released or unsigned band and want to try out for a slot on the Bloodstock bill, get in touch with the event nearest you and get yourselves involved!!  One winner from each region will win a slot on the New Blood stage. In August 2020, YOU could be stepping on stage at Bloodstock!

Full details including who to contact to enter can be found at https://www.bloodstock.uk.com/events/boa-2020/venues and also via https://www.facebook.com/groups/m2tmofficial. 

The regions are:

• BIRMINGHAM
• BRIGHTON
• BRISTOL
• CHELTENHAM
• CHESTERFIELD
• DEVON & CORNWALL
• ESSEX
• HITCHIN
• LEEDS
• LONDON
• MANCHESTER
• MERSEYSIDE
• MILTON KEYNES
• NEWCASTLE
• NORTHERN IRELAND
• NORTH WALES
• NOTTINGHAM
• NORWAY
• NORWICH
• OXFORD
• POLAND
• REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
• SCOTLAND
• SHEFFIELD
• SOMERSET
• SOUTH WALES
• STOKE ON TRENT
• WOLVERHAMPTON

Bloodstock 2020 is set to welcome Friday night headliner Devin Townsend, plus Jinjer, Gloryhammer, Skindred, Black Dahlia Murder, Vio-lence, Sacred Reich, Dark Tranquility, and Butcher Babies announced to date. Bloodstock’s remaining two headline acts and many more bands, including the eventual M2TM winners will be announced in due course. Discounted Early Bird tickets, VIP tickets (which are moving especially fast), child tickets and car parking tickets for 2020’s event are available now at the ticket store. Campervan tickets for 2020 are already sold out. 

Bloodstock 2020 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th-9th August 2020.
For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.

The world’s biggest heavy metal battle of the bands is coming to Australia for the first time ever!

The legendary Wacken Metal Battle will be making it’s triumphant debut in the great southern land, giving unsigned Australian metal acts the opportunity to battle it out for a spot at the world’s largest and greatest heavy metal festival - Wacken Open Air. 30 years have passed since the creation of Wacken Open Air and now going into their fourth decade, the “holy land of heavy metal” has chosen Australia as it’s newest inclusion into the ranks of their fabled battle of the bands.

Wacken Open Air and national promoter Bailey Graham (Founder, Pinnacle Music Group) will be bringing the competition across Australia next year in search of the greatest unsigned metal band down under, and send them off to play Wacken Open Air 2020. The regional heats will hit Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and twice in Melbourne.

The process is simple - 8 bands are chosen per regional heat to compete. The winner of every regional heat is given a slot to perform at the grand final in Melbourne at the iconic Max Watts House of Music. The winner of the grand final is given a slot at Wacken Open Air in front of tens of thousands of the world’s biggest metalheads!

Winners are decided by a judging panel of some of Australia’s most prolific industry figures - label heads, journalists, promoters and other influential Australian heavy metal figures.

For further information and band applications, go to the links on the side/below.

• To bands from Tasmania, we urge you to apply for our Victorian heats! 
  
• To bands from ACT, we urge you to apply for our Sydney heat!
• To bands from Northern Territory, we urge you to apply for our SA or WA heats!
  

THIS IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED

• Your band doesn't have a deal and isn't about to sign to a label in the near future.
• Your band can easily play a 30 minute set consisting of your own songs.
  
• You're not a band that won former, which means the year before, Metal Battle heats.
• Bands, that participated the years before, but didn't win any of the regional heats may re-apply.
• Bands that won national or international finals can’t participate anymore.
  

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your application (Demo CD with 3-4 songs, photo, band info and contact address) via www.overdrivetouring.com/wmb-australia

Ukraine's most ferocious metal export Jinjer have officially begun work on their highly anticipated third album and follow up to their Napalm Records debut King Of Everything (2016) and their amazing “Micro” EP (2018). Once again teaming up with sound producer Max Morton at Kaska Studio in Kiev, the as of yet untitled album is expected to be released sometime in fall 2019 and promises to be their best and most fierce material to date.
 
     "No rest for the wicked! Together with our long time friend and producer Max Morton, we are pleased to announce that we’ve entered Kaska Studio in Kiev to begin recording our third full album, to be released later this year. Trust us, it’s gonna blow your heads off," says the band.
 
Hot off the heels of the news that numerous North American dates with special guests The Browning being upgraded to bigger venues and some shows near the sell out point, Jinjer have also announced a full blown European Headline Tour in November/December to coincide with the release of their new album.
 
Jinjer seem determined to take over the world one country at a time and by any means necessary:-

     “Europe! We are coming for you! The time has come to show you the fiercest side of Jinjer ever, with a new album, new songs as well as all our older hits and a few surprises in-between. We know a lot of you have been waiting for us to do a proper headline tour with our own production and that time has finally come! Join us this November/December throughout Europe and the United Kingdom and help us celebrate this new era with a bang!”
 
Do not miss your chance to see Jinjer somewhere in Europe or North America this year!